The South African Young Wine Show, dating back to 1833, gives winemakers the opportunity to showcase the best wines of the current vintage.

Winners from the 2017 SA Young Wine Show Awards
It’s time to put the spotlight on the country’s best young wines. Winemakers from all across South Africa are encouraged to enter their prospective ‘wining wines’ of the 2018 harvest in the SA Young Wine Show.
Entries will end on June 27 at the regional wine festivals and on 6 July at the South African National Wine Show Association (SANWSA).
Since 1833, the SA Young Wine Show has been offering wine-makers the opportunity to test their wines, various experimental styles and new cultivars against their peers in the industry, making it one of the oldest wine shows in the world.
According to wine producers’ representative body, Vinpro, wine grape producers and winemakers in South Africa are positive about the quality of wines from the 2018 crop, despite challenging conditions that have led to one of the smallest crops in more than a decade. “The 2018 season was really challenging due to one of the worst droughts in 100 years, along with water constraints and frostbite in certain areas,” said Francois Viljoen, manager of Vinpro’s viticultural consulting service.
The Young Wine Show is the ideal opportunity for all growers to showcase their signature wines and compete for an SA championship trophy in 17 different classes.
White-wine classes include Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sémillon, and other white cultivars, dry white blends, slightly-dry white wines and noble late harvest. In the red wine classes trophies are awarded for the best Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other red cultivars and dry red blends. The panel will also judge the most outstanding port, dessert wine and muscadel.
Approximately 2 000 wines are tasted every year to determine who will win the prestigious General Smuts and Pietman Hugo trophies. The General Smuts Trophy is the competition’s highest honour and has been awarded to the competition’s overall champion since 1952, while the top-rated cellar receives the Pieter Hugo Trophy.
The specialist panels consist of seven qualified wine judges per panel, and will evaluate the ‘young wines’ on 23-27 July at the Nederburg Auction Complex in Paarl.
The national winners will be unveiled at the awards ceremony on 25 August, which will be hosted by Agri-Expo in the historic Stellenbosch City Hall this year.
The SA Young Wine Show catalog and entry form for 2018 is available at www.youngwineshow.co.za or send an e-mail to info@veritas.co.za.
Follow the SA Young Wine Show on Facebook, Twitter or use the hashtag #sayoungwine and join the conversation.